Women in Kyokushin

The following statements apply to the policies and programs of International Karate Organization Kyokushinkaikan Canada.
Policy and Program Development

· International Karate Organization Kyokushinkaikan Canada will continue its efforts to ensure that the needs of women in Kyokushin Karate are identified, promoted, and supported in all of its policies and programs. As new policies and programs are developed and others are updated, the particular concerns of women will be addressed.

Sport Stratification

· The IKOK-C supports the concept of sport programs organized on a sex-integrated basis up to the age of puberty. Beyond puberty, philosophically IKOK-C supports the concept of competitive structures based on skill level. Where the nature of the sport or event, at the highest level of competition, does not warrant stratification on the basis of sex, IKOK-C will encourage integrated competition at all levels – including the international levels.

Sport Infrastructure

· The IKOK-C supports the concept of integrated sport organizations: that is, one organization that governs the activities of the Kyokushin Karate for both men and women.

Leadership Development

· The IKOK-C will strive to increase the involvement of women in technical and administrative leadership positions at the local, regional, provincial & national level both as professionals and as volunteers, so as to integrate women into the Kyokushin Karate system; and to ensure that women with the requisite skills and commitment are placed in positions to effect change for women in Kyokushin Karate.

High Performance Competition

· The IKOK-C will strive to equalize the support and the opportunities for women and men to compete at the national and international levels. The IKOK-C will ensure equal access to services such as coaching and travel support.

· The IKOK-C will offer where sufficient demand exists, the same type, and number of events for women as for men.

Participation Development

· Cooperatively with other agencies and governments, the IKOK-C will increase participation opportunities for women in all forms of competitive Kyokushin Karate. To realize this objective, programs will be designed in order to improve both the quality and the quantity of participation opportunities.

Resource Allocation

· Efforts will be made to ensure that financial resources are equitably allocated. In case where inequities are demonstrated, the IKOK-C guarantees that resources will be more equitably distributed among males and females.
Liaison

· The IKOK-C will continue to exchange information and, where possible, coordinate activities with other agencies such as provincial/territorial ministries of sport. Networks will be established to improve communications on the status of women in sport.
Research

· The IKOK-C will support research initiatives that focus on the study of women’s performance in sport. Research for the purposes of promoting and encouraging women’s participation and leadership in Kyokushin Karate will also be supported.
Education

· Efforts will be directed to raising the level of awareness and understanding of the issues and needs facing women in sport. The IKOK-C will call on its members to play a significant role in positively changing the attitudes of their members with respect to participation of women in Kyokushin Karate.
Promotion

· The IKOK-C will periodically publish materials, or make available other items such as films, relevant to the advancement of women in Kyokushin Karate. In these promotional materials, role models appropriate to this advancement will be used.
Advocacy

· The IKOK-C will work with agencies and groups to identify and clarify issues facing women in Kyokushin Karate, and will assist in activities within agencies or organizations that advocate on behalf of the needs of women in Kyokushin Karate.
Monitoring and Evaluation

· The IKOK-C will monitor and evaluate, on an ongoing basis, the progress being made towards the goal of equality for women in Kyokushin Karate. Mechanisms and procedures for measuring progress will be designed and implemented.